Tourists invited to see erupting Congo volcano

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Virunga National Park is inviting tourists on an overnight trek to a spectacular eruption of Mount Nyamulagira in eastern Congo.

The volcano began erupting Nov. 6 and has several lava fountains spewing up to 650 feet (200 meters) into the air.

A Monday statement from the park that is a World Heritage site says rivers of incandescent lava are flowing slowly north into an uninhabited part of the park and pose no danger to its critically endangered mountain gorillas.

The park has set up a camp in a safe area close to Nyamulagira, sometimes called Nyamuragira, where visitors can spend the night.

The eruption could last days, or months.

An eruption of nearby Mount Nyiragongo in 2002 destroyed most of Goma city and forced 350,000 residents to flee.